Aerospace Engineer Camp Inspires Young Girls To Go Into Aviation Careers

Only 10 percent of people who work in the aerospace industry in the country are women.

Aerospace Careers Exploration camp, also known as ACE at Tulsa International Airport, is helping local teenage girls discover new passions for the aerospace field.

This is Savanna's first time at ACE camp. "It's been really fun. I've seen a lot of stuff that I definitely wouldn't have thought I would," she said.

Over the last two days, she and other girls went behind the scenes at the airport to explore different career options.

Michelle Evans works for the airport and helped start the camp.

"It's a camp we started three years ago just for the girls to introduce them to aerospace careers here specifically in Tulsa," she said.

Evans said the camp is held twice over the summer and is open to girls ages fourteen to eighteen. She said ACE camp is an opportunity for the girls to see the airport like never before.

"We make an effort to get all over this airport," she said. "[We] see as many possible companies, different career types. There's everything from like pilots to mechanics, to finance to CPA's, to aircraft cabin cleaners."

Savanna and the other girls got to see American Airlines.

"We got to go into their hanger and see their airplanes. We've seen Atlantic where they refuel planes," she recalled.

They also saw the inside of airplanes while being built, and all the nuts and bolts it takes to build the outside.

Evans hopes this camp has given the girls a new outlook on what careers are out there.

"It might spark an interest in them that see, 'oh I saw this women doing this, maybe this might be a good fit for me,'" she said.

Savanna is looking forward to attending the camp again next year and narrowing down her career choice by then.

"I've seen many different things that I liked so I'm kind of choosing. I'm not decided yet," she said.

If you know someone who may be interested in attending the camp next year, you can reach out to taitweb@tulsaairports.com for more information.